OverallGood

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This inspection took place on 20 January 2016, and was unannounced. The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

Prior to the inspection, the provider completed a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also reviewed other information we had for this service and found that no recent concerns had been raised. We had received information about events that the provider was required to inform us about by law, for example, where safeguarding referrals had been made to the local authority to investigate and for incidents of serious injuries or events that stop the service. We also spoke with the local authority to gain their feedback as to the care that people received.

During our inspection, we observed how staff interacted and engaged with people who used the service during individual tasks and activities. We interacted with four people who used the service, and spoke with one relative, as well as the registered manager, one team leader and two care staff.

We looked at four peopleâs care records to see if they were accurate and reflected their needs. We reviewed two staff recruitment files, four weeks of staff duty rotas and training records. We checked medicines administration records and reviewed how complaints were managed. We also looked at records relating to the management of the service, including quality audits and health and safety checks to ensure the service had robust systems in place to monitor quality assurance.

About us

Inspection checks

These checks were carried out under the inspection model that CQC have used since 2009. These will gradually be replaced by the CQC's new ratings (see below).

All standards were being met when the CQC inspected the service. If this service has not had a CQC inspection since it registered with the CQC, judgement may be based on the CQC's assessment of declarations and evidence supplied by the service.

At least one standard in this area was not being met when the CQC inspected the service and the CQC required improvements.

At least one standard in this area was not being met when the CQC inspected the service and the CQC have taken enforcement action.

New inspection ratings

The CQC are moving to a new inspection model and rate services according to how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led they are, using four levels:

Outstanding – the service is performing exceptionally well.

Good - the service is performing well and meeting the CQC's expectations.

Requires improvement – the service isn't performing as well as it should and the CQC have told the service how it must improve.

Inadequate – the service is performing badly and the CQC have taken enforcement action against the provider of the service.

No rating/under appeal/rating suspended – there are some services which the CQC can't rate, while some might be under appeal from the provider. Suspended ratings are being reviewed by the CQC and will be published soon.